Correlation of Fruit Yield with Lycopene Production in Tomato Genotypes from Igbodo, Nigeria

Tomato as vegetable and regarded as protective food is a very significant food crop globally. In this study, lycopene present in tomato and known for its anti-oxidative ability was correlated with fruit yield. Three varieties of tomato were selected and their growth rates were compared by measuring the length (cm) of stem from the day of transplanting till maturity (at flowering), on weekly basis. The three tomato varieties identified as Igb1/9/21, Igb2/9/21 and Igb3/9/21 were not significantly different in their growth. However there were significant differences in their fruit yield (fruit weight in gram) and lycopene content. When the two traits (fruit yield and lycopene content) were correlated, interestingly, they were negatively correlated. This shows that as fruit yield of tomato increased the lycopene content decreased. This result was highlighted to be useful in breeding programme and implication discussed.